On 1/13/25, I received email(s) from my attorney, notifying me that she had made multiple phone calls to FCI Butner Low in an attempt to set up a call with me due to upcoming court deadlines. Someone at the prison finally answered the phone and she was sent into Counselor Jones’ voicemail.
That same afternoon, around 14:00, I saw my counselor as he was leaving Vance B, and mentioned that my attorney had left him a voicemail.
My counselor said, “I don’t have time right now.” I saw him multiple times the next few days and made my presence known to him. I was ignored, and heard him tell multiple other inmates: “I’m not working.” He was never in his office; instead, he worked inside the unit/case manager’s area. This is his common MO when not wanting to deal with inmates who NEED his help.
On 1/15, about 11:30, I saw Assistant Warden Carroll and Captain McCauley in the chow line. I approached and spoke to them about the situation. The AW said she would “look into it” and I should see her the next day at chow.
Later that day, at about 12:23, I was paged to go to the Unit Team office. Another counselor (not mine) questioned me about what I needed, but consistently cut me off when I talked about all my problems trying to get attorney calls. (Last November, I was not allowed to talk to my attorney in private.) He then proceeded to degrade and insult me for going to the AW. His body language and the manner in which he spoke to me was very intimidating. Unit Manager Taylor and Case Manager Taborn were also present. He finally told me he would “allow” me a 15-minute call. I was able to leave a message for her, describing some of the intimidation I was dealing with. However, it was not private.
I also asked for a BP8, and was told “that’s your counselor’s job.” This is another tactic used by counselors: denying inmates ” remedy forms. These situation(s) cause unnecessary anxiety and stress and further put my case in jeopardy. The concern about retaliation and/or retribution for making inmate issue(s) known in here is constant.